Sign.



.I. W. LARSON & K. C. KNUDSON.

SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1916.

1,217,192. Patented Feb. 27,1917.

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SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1916- 1521 7, 1 92. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

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I. W. LARSON & K. C. KNUDSON.

SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I3| I9I6.

Patentd Feb. 27,1917.

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. JOHN W. LARSON, OF OMAHA, AND KNUD G. KNUDSON, OF FULLERTON, NEBRASKA.

SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed March 13, 1916. Serial No. 83,919.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that we, JOHN W. LARSON and KNUD C. KNUDsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Omaha, Douglas county, Nebraska, and Fullerton, in the county of Nance and State of Nebraska, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signs which are illuminated and composed of independent letter sections or units which are interchangeable.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved letter unit, and means for holding the same assembled to form the legend or inscription to be displayed.

The objects stated are attained by means of acombination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the letter sections or units, and Fig. 2 is a face view thereof; Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional details showing the method of assembling the sections, Fig. 4 showing a modification; Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the support for the sections, and Fig. 6 is a vertical section thereof on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a modified form of letter section or unit; Fig. 8 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing another modification; Fig. 9 is a cross-section of two of the letter sections shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a similar view of two of the sections shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is an elevation showing another modification; Figs. 12 and 13 are sections on the lines 1212 and 13-13, respectively, of Fig. 11; Fig. 14 is a sectional detail showing a fragment of two of the last-mentioned .units and how they are assembled, and Fig. 15 is a sectional detail showing a spacing strip employed in connection with the last-mentioned units.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, the reference character 10 denotes a rectangular sheet metal or other opaque plate, having a perforation 11 which outlines a letter or other character. On one side of this plate is mounted a sheet 12 of transparent mateshown in Fig. 4.

rial, such as glass, celluloid, mica, or the like, which covers the. perforation. The complete sign is made up of these independent letter sections or units, suitably arranged to form the legend or inscription tobe displayed. The units are designed for use in connection with illuminated signs, in view of which the transparent sheet is provided, the light shining through the same and through the perforations defining the letters or other characters. The units comply with all the requirements of certain city ordinances or local laws limiting the amount of glass surface which may be exposed.

I The plate 10 and the sheet 12 are fastened together by bending the edges of the plate to form folds 18 which overlap corresponding edges of the sheet. These folds are made at three edges of the plate only, and at the other edge the plate projects a short distance outward from the corresponding edge of the sheet to form a flange 14. When the units are assembled, this flange overlaps the preceding unit. The flange may overlap the face of the plate, as shown in Fig. 3; or it can be bent back the thickness of the sheet and slipped behind the preceding unit, as

The support for the letter units in assembled position is'illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, said support comprising spaced, parallel bars 15 having each an outstanding flange 16 on one side. The spacing of the bars and the length thereof may be varied according to the height and width of the letter units or sections, and the latter fit snugly between the flanges and are clamped against the bars by wedge keys 17 driven through apertures 18 in the flanges; or held in any other suitable manner, the units being clamped and held between the keys and the bars. The bars 15 are supported by a suitable frame work.

The letter units or sections, and the supporting means therefor provide a sign havthe flange and overlapping the edge of the sheet 12 here. Thus, all four edges of the sheet are engaged by overlapping folds, and

the sheet is firmly held to the plate. The

flange overlaps the preceding unit as shown in Fig. 9.

If desired, the fold 19 may be left off at one end of the flange 1 f.

Figs. 8 and 10 illustrate another modification. Here, the perforated plate 10 has folds 20 at two opposite edges which overlap corresponding edges of the sheet 12. The other two opposite edges of the plate have small, narrow folds 21 overlapping corresponding edges of the sheet. Thus, all four edges of the sheet are gripped. The edges of the plate having the folds 21 are also provided with folds for locking the several units together when assembled to make up the sign. Gne of the last-mentioned edges of the plate is bent into a flange 22 extending perpendicular to the plate and spaced slightly from the adjacent edge of the sheet, and the opposite edge is bent to extend along the corresponding edge of the sheet, as indicated at 23, and it is then bent over to form a hook 24 extending parallel to and spaced from the bend 23 throughout the entire length thereof. The flange 22 forms a channel in which seats the hook 241: of the adjoining unit, as shown in Fig. 10, when the units are assembled. The units are therefore interlocked and effectually held against endwise separation.

The letter unit shown in Figs. 11 to 15 has its perforated plate 10 provided with folds 25 at two opposite edges to overlap corresponding edges of the sheet 12, and at one of the remaining edges, preferably the bottom, is a fold 26 over the corresponding edge of the sheet. The folds 25 are formed with return bends extending outward and producing continuous channels 27 and outstanding flanges 28 extending throughout the entire height of the plate, the channels facing outward. The folds 25 where they overlap the sheet produce channels which face inward to receive the edge portions of the sheet.

Fig. 1 illustrates the method of assembling the last-described letter units, the same being placed side by side, and the flange 28 of one unit being inserted into the channel 27 of the adjacent unit, the flanges being thus overlapped and interlocked. If the units are to be spaced, a spacer plate 29 is placed therebetween and held in the channels 27 as shown in Fig. 15.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be evident that various changes and modifications in the structural features or details may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

We claim:

1. In an illuminated sign, a unit or section comprising an opaque sheet metal plate having a perforation outlining a character, and a transparent sheet mounted on the plate over the perforation, said plate having means for holding the sheet, said holding means being edge folds which overlap corresponding edges of the sheet, and one of the edges of the plate having a connecting member adapted to engage an adjacent unit.

2. In an illuminated sign, a unit or section comprising an opaque sheet metal plate having a perforation outlining a character, and a transparent sheet mounted on the plate over the perforation, said plate having edge folds which' overlap corresponding edges of the sheet, and one of the edges of the plate having a connecting member adapted to engage an adjacent unit, the plate at the edge having the connecting member being provided with folds which over lap the adjacent edge of the sheet.

3. In an illuminated sign, a unit or section comprising an opaque plate having a perforation outlining a character, and a transparent sheet mounted on the plate over the perforation, said plate having edge folds overlapping corresponding edges of the sheet, and one of the edges of the plate having a channel, and the opposite edge having a hook, the hook of one unit interlocking with the channel of an adjacent unit, and folds in the plate at the ends of the channel and the hook, said folds overlapping adjacent edges of the sheet.

4. In an illuminated sign, a unit or section comprising an opaque plate having a perforation outlining a character, and a transparent sheet mounted on the plate over the perforation, said plate having edge folds overlapping corresponding edges of the sheet, said edge folds having return bends forming channels and outstanding flanges.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. LARSON. KNUD O. KNUDSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. RUSSELL, E. M. BLACK.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

